Well took the wife's '98 heritage in hoping it needed only valve seals. Turns out pistons and cyl. scored. Bike only had 11,000 on it.I bought it last year from a knucklehead that shouldn't own a wrench. Anyway punched out 5 over and all cleaned up. Just looking to pick it up when it isn't raining[:@].

The guy I bought it from had the air filter cover all nuted up, sucking air and running SUPER rich. Also has carb gaskets missing. Man some people make Harleys bad bikes.

Had the dealer do the work and they are top notch.....price and work.

jim

 

You hit the nail on the head... For many years now Harley has had a bad name to some... simply put it was the bike people bought and always tinkered with without knowing how to work on them...... In the later 60s thru the 80s most of the people who bought jap bikes put gas in and rode thats why so few problems.... In my bike shop back than we took in more bikes people tried to wrench on and could not get the bike running than you could shake a stick at! I think people should wrench on there own bikes but you have to know your limit.

 

A lot of riders do not have a clue how to take care of an air cooled motor!Good Luck

 

....Agreed. I KNOW my limits. Try to stick with externals and basic wiring,some carb work thats it. Leave engines to the pros.

jim

 

Most mechanics don't know what their doing also.

 

Was it carbon that caused the cylinder scoring?

 

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One of the best parts, for me, of owning any vehicle is getting to work on it.&nbsp\\;Partly because I have a spare now and don't worry that if it isn't running I won't be able to get to work tomorrow.&nbsp\\; So I intend to wrench on this HD and learn in the process.&nbsp\\; With a little patience, some precision, and this forum, I hope to be able to do it all and learn a bunch in the process.&nbsp\\; It was different with my Honda.&nbsp\\; That thing was all fake on the outside.&nbsp\\; Everything was made to look like a Hd but the engine was a big fake.&nbsp\\; I never touched it cause I couldn't visualize what was under there.&nbsp\\; Besides basic maintenance I never wanted to do anything to it.&nbsp\\; The HD is much more inviting because it is what you see.&nbsp\\; That may be another reason people are willing to mess with them.

 

Man makes it, man breaks it and man can fit it, sometimes with the help of your friendly neighbourhood Harley Dealer.

Everyone who rides should have a basic understanding, my limits are my lack of patience and specialist tools. Everything else done in house - with a little help from the HDForum members.

 

Intake leaks are generally the cause of piston scoring, along with lean fuel.notorious on shovels and early evo's
guys take em apart and dont reassemble it correctly

 

Bike wasn't running right when we bought it. the dude that had it must have had the carb apart and the gasket was missing between the backing plate and carb. Also the rubber plugs in the backing plate (S&amp\\;S carb) was missing and sucking air. Also figure the air had it lean.
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jim